Digest -- Daily news about U.Va:

www.virginia.edu/topnews
www.virginia.edu/releases/headlines.html

Lewis & Clark events kick off with scholarly debate
Lewis & Clark’s historic westward trek began as a high-minded scientific journey and expansion of a benign empire, bringing liberty to the natives. At least, that was the view of one U.Va. historian as the University got five days’ worth of bicentennial events rolling with a debate. A colleague from the University of Tulsa politely begged to differ, arguing that the celebrated journey was no boon to Native Americans. (Top News Daily, Jan. 16)

Freeman: Ethics should have a central place in business
When Darden professor Edward Freeman tells people that he teaches business ethics, he often hears guffaws and remarks about oxymorons like “jumbo shrimp.” But in the wake of the latest in a long history of corporate scandals, Freeman says it’s time to take the idea seriously. “Because we have disconnected business from ethics, our culture doesn’t see that corporate life is a rich moral environment; we see it rather as a situation in which a bunch of greedy little people are trying to do each other in — and this is a story that has long outlived its usefulness.” (Top News Daily, Jan. 20-21)

Students active in South Lawn Project planning
They probably won’t ever take classes in the buildings being imagined for the South Lawn Project, but that doesn’t deter Elizabeth Huff and Steven Reinemund from giving their time to the design effort. Huff and Reinemund co-chair the student task force for the project, offering ideas for the $160 million plan to demolish New Cabell Hall and replace it with modern, accessible classroom and office space. “I appreciate what past students have done to improve the University for me. And I think getting involved in a project like the South Lawn is my duty as a member of student government and simply because I am a student,” Huff says. (Top News Daily, Jan. 14)

Grant excels study of outpatient commitment
A legal research network led by U.Va. law professor John Monahan has received an additional $3.9 million to continue for three more years its study of court-ordered, community-based treatment of mentally ill patients. The next phase of study will be aimed at winning more compliance with treatment plans. (Top News Daily, Jan. 17-19)